A Cavalier For Christmas

Christmas can be a pretty busy time around my studio with lots of people giving portraits as gifts to those near and dear. Bentley’s portrait was one of those gifts…a 12″ x 12″ painting from husband to wife showing their beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Because the timing was tight when the order came in and I wouldn’t want to compromise the quality of the finished painting, I suggested that I develop the sketch shown here to be given on the holiday, with a painting to follow later on.

This is often the best way to give a gift as it allows the recipient to see the sketch first and make any revisions that they would like before going to paint. This is especially valuable when it comes to choosing just the right background color. It also allows the gift recipient to participate in the process of creating the portrait…and they tend to get pretty excited awaiting the finished result.

This works well when the gift giver has good photos of the pet. Sometimes though they don’t…and that’s where a gift certificate comes in handy. They are also useful as last minute gifts as I can send them digitally as well as by regular mail. Christmas is almost upon us so if you’re thinking of a pet portrait as a gift for Christmas, please get in touch so we can find the best option for your needs. You can send me a message here or email me at info@hopelaneart.com